Entities, reasons, funds, fiscal sponsors, insurance, support, or lack of, jobs, ambition, determination, experiment, relationship, doubt...is just the tip of repetitive thoughts in my head when planning a trip across the country. Can we actually pull off a three month hiatus(well, not so much a hiatus) to ride on our bicycles from here, Breaking Away location of Bloomington, Indiana(strongly recommend watching the classic film) through thousands of miles of grasslands of the flat mid-states, surprising rolling hills of the northern midwest states, up the steep, formidable Rockies, to the windy cliffs along the ocean, down to San Fran? Knowing we may not have jobs when we get back, knowing I've got basically pocket change in my savings, compared to where I should be at at age 31, and the upfront cost of such an endeavor, seem a bit overwhelming. However, with all of the unknown, what drives me is the chance to slowly, and I mean slowly(at 15mph) see this pristine, yet subtlety decaying country documenting what businesses, city/county officials, schools, individuals are doing to drive true sustainability to the forefront, while continuing with their own agendas. I'm excited to read that city and county municipalities are implementing garden rooftops to curb heat index and carbon emissions, or fortune 500 companies that are implementing solar and wind power technologies to their buildings, and small towns that are collaborating together on creating healthier environments for kids, implementing Green School programs. Andy and I plan to visit over 70 sites along our route, and though we're(or, I'll just say I) a little idealistic, but certainly not naive to the mental, physical, emotional challenges we'll face individually and together, I couldn't imagine a more suitable partner to share this experience with.

Overall, I do have more questions, then answers to this world and especially my place in it, however, this bike trip documentary may just give me and others a better understanding of where our creative and innovative actions are taking us as a society, as different entities are collaboratively pushing forward a healthier, sustainable way of living and doing business, despite political, cultural, social, economic, and religious differences.